Abstract

PIP: In 1975 about 500 million episodes of diarrhea in children below age 5 were estimated in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The diarrhea episodes resulted in 5 to 18 million deaths, which is comparable to the situation in the industrialized countries at the end of the 19th century. Over 1/3 of the beds in children's hospitals or wards in developing countries are occupied by cases of diarrhea receiving expensive antibiotics and intravenous fluid. Despite widespread awareness of this problem, a definite commitment for dealing with it has been lacking. The World Health Organization (WHO) has undertaken to expand its multidisciplinary program for the control of acute diarrheal diseases. This program complements and supports other WHO efforts in primary health care and overall health development. The Advisory Group which met in Geneva during May 1978 reviewed the various strategies that might be included in WHO's program for diarrheal diseases control. The Group recommended that the program should focus on the management of acute diarrheas, nutrition of the child and mother, water supply, sanitation and food hygiene, epidemiological surveillance, and health education. 1 of the main conclusions of the Group was that oral rehydration therapy was a strategy that could be put into effect now with the available means and have an immediate and far-reaching impact. The mechanisms envisaged for program implementation is for WHO to work with national authorities as partners in all stages of their program development.